I. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a containerization system and to containers which are particularly suitable for storing, packaging and transporting fluid agricultural chemical compounds, such as pesticides and concentrates thereof.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
At present, most hazardous and toxic liquids are stored in metal drums or, where smaller quantities are involved, in plastic containers. Hazardous compositions, especially agricultural chemicals (agrichemical), are formulated in various compositions.
Agrichemicals in liquid form, particularly in the form of concentrates, are most convenient for farmers because of the relative ease with which they can be handled. There are, nevertheless, difficulties in handling such liquid compositions. There is a danger of spillage or leakage if holes develop in containers that are accidentally dropped and thereby crack or fail. Containers have been developed which possess great resistance to impact and shock. While such containers are secure under normal storage and handling conditions, in the event of an accident, for example during transporting, there remains an appreciable risk of spillage or leakage with rapid loss of liquid. Leakage of toxic and hazardous chemicals can create damage to the environment.
The chemical and packaging industries have long sought a secure container which provides a sufficient safeguard for those handling it, such as farmers and transporters, as well as adequate precautions for the environment.
It is known, for example, to package agrichemicals in soluble bags or sachet made from water soluble films. While considerable effort has been made and tremendous success in improving the strength of such bags, there still remains problems with the fragility of such bags resulting from sudden impact, for example from dropping.
One solution for this problem is exemplified in patent application WO 89/12590 where a water soluble bag containing a liquid agrichemical composition is encased in an outer container made of rigid or semi-rigid polymer such as polypropylene. Currently, there is a product available commercially in France called Geludose (Ciba-Geigy) which is also a water soluble bag which is stored in a rigid polymeric container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,905 describes water soluble packages. In that patent, overwraps are described such as single layer polyolefins cellophane glassine, foils, PVC, waxed paper and the like or combinations of those as laminates. However, the intended use of these and the selection criteria for these were based on the ability of these compositions to protect the inner bag from water or humidity contact. The only examples actually offered by the patent is a cellophane overwrap. Such external container may also break under violent shock and the broken container may have edges which may cut the water soluble bag which is inside of it.
In its working example, the prior art describes a container wherein the outer container comprises a rigid body-part (which contains the inner bag, i.e. the area within which the bag can move and a shock absorbing rigid part separated from the body part by mean of shoulder, or shock absorbing stripes wherein the inner bag cannot move and/or deform completely. In other words, a body part which is actually the outer container and another added shock absorbing part which is not part of the outside container.
When designing containers for protecting objects having a degree of fragility, rigid materials are the first choice despite the high cost compared with many flexible polymers.
An object of the instant invention is to provide a new containerization system to contain hazardous chemicals which is safe for everybody because of its increased resistance to leakage.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a new containerization system to contain agrichemicals which is easy for the farmer to manipulate.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a new containerization system to contain agrichemicals which is as much condensed as possible, using the least amount of space.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a new containerization system to contain agrichemicals which is easy to open, easy to manufacture (and thus cheap), and which has a good shock absorption, that is to say, which has a good resistance to shock such as impact and blows.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a new containerization system to contain agrichemicals which is stable both at high and low temperatures.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a new containerization system and/or a new method to contain agrichemicals which diminishes the risks of pollution.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a containerization system which has no lids, and is easier and cheaper to manufacture and has no problem of lids coming off.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new containerization system for agrichemicals which reduces the waste disposal of contaminated containers and overpacks.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new containerization system for agrichemicals which allows very efficient packing and storing due to flexible, optionally flat bags.
Other objects of the invention will better appear from the following description.
An object of the invention is to avoid this risk of spill or pollution and to increase the safety of water soluble packaging of agrichemicals.